Amanita phalloides, the Death Cap mushroom, is one of the deadliest poisonous mushrooms and is responsible for most mushroom-related deaths. This is because the toxin produced by the mushroom, α-amanitin, is a cyclic peptide that reacts enzymatically within the cell by inhibiting RNA polymerase II. Without active RNA polymerase II, the cell is unable to synthesize RNA molecules that are important precursors to protein formation. Death is slow and takes a week on average after ingestion to occur.
55 This post is tagged with: alpha amanitin death cap enzyme mushroom mushrooms science toxin biochemistry
